Discover Your Focus

Religious scholarship is more than studying ancient manuscripts. It’s a source of deep meaning, and controversy in human culture. It’s a dynamic collaboration of contemporary life, history, philosophy, and ethics.

In Canada's multicultural society and the global economy, professionals need to have knowledge of the different religions and cultures. Understanding the world's cultures and diversity is a key element of social interaction.

Like religion, major sports break down natural social barriers and help people forge intense bonds. That's why strangers watching the Super Bowl at the bar hug when their team scores. It's why a whole nation turns into sports fans and cheers for its team in the Olympics.

The Department of Religious Studies is pleased to host Dr. Madison Pierce (Tyndale University College). Dr. Pierce will speak on the use of Greek Isaiah in Hebrews and the Catholic Epistles. Feb. 14, 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Hons.B.A.
Honours Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies

The BA Honours program offers students a deeper understanding of the discipline of Religious Studies and the subfields of Asian religious traditions, Biblical Studies, and the Western religious traditions, including Islam, Christianity and Judaism. In Canada's multicultural society and an increasingly globalized world, a strong grounding in critical thought and analysis is essential to navigating and understanding a variety of religious issues across cultures.

Minor
Interdisciplinary Minor in Muslim Studies

M.A.
Master of Arts in Religious Studies

One of the first graduate programs in Religious Studies in Canada (established in 1964), McMaster University has been a leading center for the scholarly study of religion for more than four decades. The Department has three graduate fields of study (Asian, Biblical and Western) and research is conducted in a range of topics and traditions, time periods and cultures, employing a wide variety of approaches: textual, ethnographic, historical, philosophical, theological, philological. While the faculty and areas of research expertise have changed somewhat over the years, the Department’s commitment to the open, critical, and multidisciplinary study of religion—past and present, East and West, theoretical and practical—remains passionate and strong.

Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies

One of the first graduate programs in Religious Studies in Canada (established in 1964), McMaster University has been a leading center for the scholarly study of religion for more than four decades. The Department has three graduate fields of study (Asian, Biblical and Western) and research is conducted in a range of topics and traditions, time periods and cultures, employing a wide variety of approaches: textual, ethnographic, historical, philosophical, theological, philological.